Amusement apparatus.



E. WOERTH.

AMUSEMBNT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 7,1908. 909,500, Patented Jan. 12.1909.

fam.

TTHNEYS @ai l w EMIL4 WOERTH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed May 7, 1908. Serial No. 431,314.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, EMIL WOERTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to amusement devices or apparatus designed for use at pleasure resorts of various kinds and classes, and the object thereof is to provide an improved device or apparatus of this class designed to travel on a track either inclined or horizontal, or on an inclined surface of any kind or class, and which involves a suitable truck or frame mounted on wheels and on which is placed a rotatable passenger carrier which is geared in connection with one of the axles; a further object being to provide a device or apparatus of the class specified which is adapted to be operated by gravity or by power; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in an apparatus of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a sectional side view of one form of my improved amusement device or apparatus, and;-Fig. 2 a bottom plan view thereof.

In the practice of my invention, as shown in the drawing, I provide a truck frame or support a, the end portions of which are provided with hangers a2, in which are mounted axles b provided with wheels b2 which may be so formed as to travel on a smooth surface, or on the rails of a suitable track.

Mounted on the truck frame or support a is a rotatable passenger carrier c which, in the construction shown, is circular in form and provided with an internal annular seat c2. The truck frame or support a is rovided on the opposite sides of the rotatab e carrier c, and forwardly and backwardly thereof, in the form of construction shown, with segmental guides and keepers d in which are mounted anti-friction rollers d2 which are adapted to bear on the sides of the carrier o, and the guides and keepers d serve, in the operation ofthe apparatus, to hold the carrier c in proper position under all conditions. The truck frame or support a is also provided with an annular plate a3 which is placed under the carrier c, and the bottom of said carrier is provided with a corresponding annular plate c3 between which and the plate d3 are placed anti-friction ball-bearings c4. The truck frame or su port a is also provided centrally thereof witii a tubular bushing e which passes therethrough, and secured to and in the central part of the bottom of the carrier c is a vertically arranged shaft f which passes downwardly through the tubular bushing e and is provided at its lower end with a beveled gear f2.

Supported transversely of and beneath the bottom of the truck frame or support a is a horizontal shaft g, on which is slidably mounted a sleeve g2, on the opposite ends of which are secured beveled gears g2 and g4, and one y of said gears, the gear g3 as shown in the drawing, is provided with a hub g5 having an annular groove g5.

Pivoted beneath the bottom of the truck frame or support a, as shown at 97, is a lever h which ranges longitudinally of said truck frame or support a and is provided at its inner end with a yoke h2 which fits in the groove g2, in the usual manner, and the other end of said lever h is bent upwardly to form an arm h3 by means of which the lever h may be operated by a party sitting on a seat 71,4 at one end of the truck frame or support a. The shaft g is also provided with a sprocket gear t', and one of the axles b with a corresponding sprocket gear t2, and mounted on t e gears t and t2 is a drive chain i3. One of the wheels b2 beneath the end of the truck frame or support a on which the seat h4 is placed is provided with a brake drum j, and secured to the corresponding hanger a2 and jz is a brake band j3 which passes around the drum y' and with which is connected a lever jt pivoted at ji", and by means of which the brake band ja is operated, said lever being also under the control of a party sitting on the seat h4.

In the operation of this ap aratus, the passengers take their seats in t e carrier c, and said carrier is rotated by the movement of the truck, the speed of said truck being controlled by the gearing t', i2, t3 and by the brake operated by the lever jt. It will be understood that the truck may be operated by gravity, all that is necessary being to provide a suitable inclined surface, or said ltruckY l may j be operated on inclined tracks, the Wheels b2 being so formed as to'retain the truck on said tracks, or said truck maybe the scope of operated by a suitable motor on a perfectlyV l departing level surface, or on level tracks,lall thatis necessary being to place the motor (inY the truck and gear it in connection with one of the axles b. seen, that the speed ot the truck may be easily controlled by the brakeY device, and. that when the truck is given a movement in either direction the carrier c', in which the passengers are placed, is given a rotary motion, and the direction oi this motion may be changed at any time by manipulating the lever /L so as to alternately throw either ci the gears g3 or g4 into or out of engagement with the gear f2, and the motion or movement thus given to the carrier c, and the assengers therein will be amusing and hig ly entertaining.

Although I have described my improved amusement apparatus as adapted to be operated by gravity on an inclined surface or on inclined tracks, it will be apparent that a motor may be placed on the truck and used to drive the same and operate the carrier on suchy inclined surface or inclined tracks as well as when the device is operated on a level surface or on level tracks, and instead of employing a carrier c which is circular in form other forms of carriers may be em- Y ployed and geared in connection with one of the axles of the truck, and when a motor is employed to drive the truck the carrier or carriers may be geared in connection with the motor instead of in connection with an axle of the truck.

My invention is not limited to the exact As thus constructed, it will-bewl details of construction herein shown and described, Vand various changes therein and modifications' thereof may be made, within the appended claims, without from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having Jully described my invention, What I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An ap paratusv of Vthe class described, comprising a suitable truck, a rotarypassenger carrier mounted thereon and geared in connection with one Vof the axlesl of the truck, and means for changing the direction of the rotation of the passenger carrier.

2.` An apparatus of `the class described, comprising a suitable truck, a rotary passenger carrier mounted thereon and geared in connection with one ofthe axles of the truck, and means for changing the direction oi the rotation of the passenger carrier, and for centrolling the speed of the truck.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a suitable truck, a rotary passen ger carrier mounted thereon and geared in connection with one of the axles of the truck, and means tor changing the direction of the rotation of the passenger carrier, and for controlling the speed of the truck, said truck being adapted to be operatedby gravity on an inclined surface or track. Y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 6th day of May, 1908.

EMIL WOERTH. Witnesses;

C. E.- MULREANY, M. E.V Doom'. 

